Aspiring ecclesiologist. Trying to stay in my lane. Cheverly Baptist Church.
Washington, DC
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An email this morning from a friend in the Middle East regarding pastors and Christians in Afghanistan (posted with permission):
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Did you know that The Karate Kid is the greatest cinematic portrayal of th gospel ever? Sam Emadi explains.
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On vacation. Visited a church. Orthodox preacher. Mentioned a verse but basically preached ideas that excited him. Preached his emotion. What was on his heart.
All sincere. Nothing untrue. But left hungry.
Preachers, your church gets life from God's Word, not your emotion.
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Reminder: Your pastor has never pastored through a pandemic before.
Perhaps give him a little room to make the wrong judgment call on this or that?
And perhaps, when it comes to determining what's best for the whole church, you're not going to bat 1000 either?
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Things Paul tells Twitter, I mean Timothy, to avoid: unsupported accusations, unhealthy interest in disputes, arguments over words, quarreling, slander, evil suspicions, constant disagreement, arrogance, irreverent and empty speech, foolish and ignorant disputes, silly myths.
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Teenagers, the sins you give yourselves over to now you’ll spend the rest of your life trying—often unsuccessfully—to free yourself from the grip and consequences of.
I’ve seen it again and again.
Ask for faith, grace, and a love for Him who is better.
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Don’t devote your life to doing something big. Devote yourself instead to a good direction, and then do all the small things that God commands. Every day. Over and over and over. Then a day just might come when you discover you’ve accomplished something big.
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My response on the decision by Grace Community Church’s elders to engage in civil disobedience. 9marks.org/article/a-time-fo…
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Line along East Capitol for viewing RBG casket at Supreme Court just outside my office. SC on 1st Street. I’m standing at 6th Street.
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A pastor from China, asking for prayer in a CHBC prayer service, mentioned how much he appreciated the loud singing. His church sings quietly for fear of being reported by the neighbors. #thingswetakeforgranted #prayforChina
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According to Forbes, the toughest leadership roles are
9) CEO
8) Congressperson
7) Newspaper editor
6) Mayor
5) PASTOR
4) Football coach
3) 2nd-in-command in any organization
2) University president
And number 1 is [drumroll]
1) STAY-AT-HOME PARENT forbes.com/sites/robasghar/2…
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John Calvin on abortion:
“The fetus, though enclosed in the womb of its mother, is already a human being, and it is almost a monstrous crime to rob it of the life which it has not yet begun to enjoy. If it seems more horrible to kill a man in his own house than in a field..." 1/2
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A simple and time-tested formula for building a big audience:
1) Call yourself a Christian.
2) Criticize traditional Christianity.
3) Side with the culture on contested issues.
It's worked for centuries. They will love you.
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I often hear aspiring pastors ask what Paul means when he says an elder must be "able to teach" (1 Tim. 3:2).
I seldom here them ask what Paul means when he says an elder must be "gentle" (1 Tim. 3:3).
A question for all of us: do I aspire to gentleness like I aspire to teach?
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As a younger man, I always felt the urge to correct foolishness. The older I get, the more I realize it's often best not to get sucked in, lest you join the folly yourself (Prov. 26:4). Wait it out. Do no harm. Speak only when you must. Don't burn bridges. The moment will pass.
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"I thought my job as a pastor would focus on getting my church members to encourage one another to do what the Bible commands. Instead, most of my job is keeping my church members from demanding things of each other the Bible never does." A pastor friend
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The ability to disagree with others amicably and constructively, without destroying the relationship, is a sign of maturity. It typically requires a humble heart, the fear of God, and at least a smidgeon of social skill.
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One of the most crucial ways to love your kids?
Enjoy them.
And let them see you enjoying them.
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Pastor: You’re not a politician, you’re not a pundit, you’re not a get-out-the-vote lackey for a party, you’re not a social media influencer. You're a herald of the King of Heaven. You hold a special charge to speak for him. So say what he says, no more and no less. @greggilbert
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Watching Christian men up close for years now,
I'd say there's basically a 1:1 ratio between
regular Bible reading and growing in the faith
vs.
not reading the Bible and meandering/struggling in the faith.
I'm not giving you a law. I'm just reporting an observation.
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Something crucial I learned eldering with men older and wiser than me: when trying to figure out how to respond to someone's sin, ask whether the sin roots in weakness or rebellion.
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Christians often say, "God used BLANK [book, program, author, ministry] in my life!" to argue for that book, program, etc.
Just keep in mind: God's use of a thing doesn't justify the thing. God uses all kinds of things for good: Satan, tragedies, donkeys, Pilate, etc.
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Sincere prayer request: the next @9Marks Journal is on complementarianism. With every article we edit I'm reminded of how fraught this topic is. Pray we would have wisdom in the editing process. Pray the Journal would bring more light than heat and serve men, women, and churches.
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Anyone learning James 4 lately?
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit.”
Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
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CHBC won. From the ruling: "It is for the Church, not the District or this Court, to define for itself the meaning of “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.” Hebrews 10:25."
"You and I can 'download' biblical truths virtually. Wonderful. Yet we cannot feel and experience and witness those truths becoming enfleshed in the family of God, which both fortifies our faith and creates cords of love between brothers and sisters." christianitytoday.com/ct/202…
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“If you don’t care about who gets credit, it’s amazing what you can get done for the kingdom.” @MarkDever
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One danger of building your platform on critique is that your ministry becomes parasitic. You begin to see errors in places they don't exist because, like a parasite, the survival of your voice depends on "their" blood.
It's harder to build something, but worth it over time.
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Friendly reminder: we can't “redeem” or “transform” culture. Only the Spirit can, and he won't until he removes the curse. We can "impact," "help," "bless," even "improve" culture. But "redeem" and "transform" are soteriological words, and that's above our pay grade.
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Recently overheard from @MarkDever:
"If your soul is too delicate to being misunderstood, you'll have a hard time persevering in pastoral ministry."
"Part of maturity is recognizing that someone can have all the same facts you do and come to a different conclusion."
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When we've been there ten-thousand years...we just might all agree this was the most important news of the past week.
This happened yesterday. The “D” people in Southeast Asia heard for the first time that there’s an all-powerful God who made the heavens and earth. Pray for them over the next 3 to 5 months as they continue to hear the story of this God and His great love for them.
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You know the politically acceptable posture of a room, whether left or right, by who is given license to be rude or angry without the room taking offense.
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How to think about church growth:
"Think less about growing your membership, and more about growing your members." @MarkDever
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"Christians must resist the messianic claims of political figures and state power. I’m not asserting that Christians refrain from political action. By all means give your political party your vote, just don’t give them your heart." Sam Emadi
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The New Testament spends far more ink on elder qualifications than on a job description, because those qualifications are the job description. His job is to live out the Christian life before the church in word and deed so they can follow.
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Knowing how to disagree well is a sign of Christian maturity.
And a healthy church leaves space for Christians to work through different kinds of disagreements.
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Preaching Philemon on Sunday. Checked with the curator at Museum of the Bible who had a copy of the Slave Bible (which removed portions of Bible that could lead to slave rebellion). Sure enough, Philemon was removed: "receive him no longer as a slave, but as a beloved brother."
Museum of the Bible is amazing. The slave Bible display is a testimony to both the depravity of man and glory of God’s Word. They knew to promote slavery they had to alter God’s Word.
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I know it's been said before, but I'm continually amazed by how Christians will speak about one another on Twitter in a way they never would in person.
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Imagine waking up today and thinking, “Oh, I’m a Supreme Court Justice now.” That has to be wild.
But even wilder, Christian, is waking up and thinking, “I’m an adopted and beloved daughter/son of the King of kings and God in heaven.”
That’s worth remembering today, yes?
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Our friends at Founders approached @MarkDever and me for an impromptu interview on complementarianism at the 9M booth, not biblical authority. Otherwise, our experience and reaction is the same as Dr. Akin's. We're grateful for Founders, but Mark and I co-sign Danny's statement.
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A good pastor is one of the most doctrinally picky and personally gracious persons in the congregation.
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Some will think this is insensitive, some will think it’s overdue, but I want to make sure it’s said: not physically gathering with the church hurts you spiritually. 9marks.org/article/not-gathe…
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Abortion is the perfect antithesis of Genesis 1:28 and the pure embodiment of the serpent's plans:
- Instead of being fruitful, we crush the fruit as a seed.
- Instead of imaging God, we presume to be God.
Gratefully, there was one seed he couldn't crush, who will rescue us.
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In view of everything that has transpired in 2020, I arrive at year's end more convinced than ever that what pastors and Christians need most is...
...a stronger understanding of what a church is and a stronger commitment to being a church.
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One sign that you identify more with your ideological tribe than you do with Jesus is that you cannot hear what’s good when it comes from another tribe.
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Pastors, I don't think the Bible lets you require your members to join small groups. It's fine to encourage small groups. But don't require them.
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Leaving church. Sat through the sermon struck by what an AMAZING gift a preacher who clearly exposes God’s Christ-exalting Word is. How many people through history and across the world have not received such a gift. If he’s faithful, don’t take your preacher for granted.
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Pastors, you might soon be shepherding your church through a new political divide: the "open the economy" vs. "let's stay safe" crowds.
Your question isn't just what do you think is right, but how can you encourage a Rom 14 forbearance and love across the divide? HT:@MarkDever
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A friend sent the following: "You know the quarantine has been going on a long time when your kids have C3-PO preaching and a storm trooper getting baptized. The baptism was immersion, but as of this writing we haven’t really seen fruits of repentance in the stormtrooper's life."
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Been reading the Prophets on justice. Am convinced as ever that Christians must care about justice.
This is also clear: Injustice always roots in idolatry. They're linked. People pursuing idols pursue injustice.
So if we care about justice we'll want people to know the gospel.
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I want to say two things at once:
1) The Bible teaches the separation of church and state.
&
2) A Christian's politics begins with this phrase: Jesus is king.
It's easy for us to let go of one phrase or the other. But a biblical view of politics insists on both.
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Christian nationalism ≠ legislating moral principles found in the Bible
Christian nationalism = confusing Christian identity and national identity, or church membership and citizenship
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Something I see again and again: born again people love, seriously LOVE, to hear the Bible preached.
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Being a dad: smiling and playing with the kids like nothing's wrong even though your head is filled with burdens at work, church, home, and beyond.
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If I might play ecclesiological schoolmarm for a second...
Individuals can't "leave the SBC." Only churches can. Individuals can only resign membership in an SBC church.
Relevance? Your Christian identity, by Christ's authorization, is tied to a church, not a denomination.
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People sometimes criticize the idea of "legislating morality."
Yet name one law--just one--that doesn't legislate someone's morality. There aren't any. This is what law does.
Every law--immigration, tax, airplane construction--depends upon some morality and concept of justice.
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“If you’re unwilling to offend people, pastoral ministry is not for you. If you are eager to offend people, pastoral ministry is not for you.” @isickadams
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Something comforting that years of pastoring teaches you: time has a way of revealing all. The unjust are eventually exposed and the just are vindicated, often (not always) in this world even. Therefore, don’t invest too much in the hasty judgments of the moment.
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Being among saints outside the US reminds me of how parochial we Americans Christians can be, as if our conversations and controversies ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE WORLD! Praise God he's up to far more than just the US. And I'm glad saints elsewhere are patient w/us.🙄😁
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Today is our last Sunday at @chbcdc. Been there since 1996 (minus seminary). Church plant begins next week. Talk about mixed emotions. Next Sunday is exciting! This Sunday I'm longing for the day, as the hymn puts it, "Where congregations ne'er break up, And Sabbaths never end."
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Objections to @timkellernyc's statement that Jesus came "primarily to forgive sin" testify to how shriveled our views have become of God's holiness and of the gravity of our sin before him, which in turn means shriveled ideas about the amazingness of grace.
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Perhaps this bit from Oliver O'Donovan should be recycled through the evangelical twitter-verse about once a week for the next year?
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Two ways false teaching gains traction in church:
1) thru evangelistic impulse: "If we put it this way, non-Ctians will listen."
2) thru friendship: "His teaching is a little off, but he's a good guy. I know him. He loves Jesus."
God uses bad for good; Satan uses good for bad.
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Mark Dever comes out in support of the Law amendment here.
Also, Juan Sanchez and I argue for it here: thebaptistreview.com/editori…
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A friend said the smart Christian men she knows tend to be cynical. I hope not. Smart people, be careful. Cynicism a form of pride, self-protection, faithlessness. Love always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres
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David Platt at T4G: "Why are so many of our churches so white? Why are so many seminaries and mission organizations so white? Why is this conference so white? Why do we look like time capsules preserving the effects of the past?"
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“If you rearrange the letters in Britney Spears it spells Presbyterians.
Coincidence? I don’t think so.”
Sam Emadi #thingsthatmakeyougohmmm
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A refrain I'm hearing more and more from pastors:
"I'm having a hard time keeping up with the catechizing power of social media on my congregation."
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If you are interested in building a healthy church, start by recognizing the difference between gospel health and Pharisee health. Gospel health, ironically, looks messier because it begins and continues with the confession of sin.
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If you want to grow your social media platform, specialize in criticism. Be an articulate conduit for the fear, anger, or jealousy of others. With every added follower, you'll feel affirmed in the justice of your cause. You're doing good, you can say to yourself.
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A principle way to prevent PASTORAL ABUSE is for pastors to remember they are CHURCH MEMBERS before they are PASTORS.
They are growing disciples of Christ, who need instruction and accountability, encouragement and correction.
And they should build relationships accordingly.
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Pastor friend just asked if a church should discipline someone who participated in Cville march and refused to disavow and apologize.
Yes.
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"...because a man’s house is his place of most secure refuge, it ought surely to be deemed more atrocious to destroy a fetus in the womb before it has come to light.” (from commentary on Exodus, 21:22)
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My goal is to open up a little space of Christian freedom for other churches to make different judgment calls, and then to encourage all of us to exercise patience and charity with one another and our churches as we make those different calls. 9marks.org/article/a-time-fo…
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Actually, a Christian nation does exist, and it’s called the church (1 Peter 2:9). It’s comprised of people from every nation on earth. Perhaps the best way to become a real Christian nationalist, then, is to join a church. 9marks.org/article/christian…
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Lead pastors of the churches planted in the DC area by @chbcdc during @MarkDever’s time. Praise God.
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In the summer of 1993, age 20, I heard John Stott preach at Falls Church (then) Episcopal. Afterward, I stood in line to ask, "Do you ever doubt Christianity? If so, what do you do?"
He answered, "I go back to the one thing I know for certain: I'm a sinner, and I need a savior."
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Cancel culture is social media’s version of church discipline, you know, minus love, minus redemptive intent, minus a congregation’s relationship with a person and commitment to his or her good, minus the accountability of those doing the discipline, minus biblical wisdom.
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If your theology changes and now disagrees with your church’s statement of faith, the humble action, I believe, is to talk with the pastors. Give them a chance to persuade you otherwise. If they don’t, resign. This serves church *unity,* which can extend across churches. 1/3
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"The pastor has the difficult task of being a non-argumentative person who knows how to make good arguments." @RevKevDeYoung
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"And then please hear me when I say as graciously as I can: we Africans are not children in need of western enlightenment when it comes to the church’s sexual ethics. We do not need to hear a progressive U.S. bishop lecture us about our need to 'grow up.'
"Let me assure you...
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Church services in which the minister and the band up front perform, and the people act like spectators, is our new kind of clericalism. It’s the very thing the Reformers, reacting to the Mass, worked against by involving the congregation. (Paraphrasing Jonathan Gibson)
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How to live as a Christian at a secular university:
1. Pick town w/good church
2. Quickly join
3. Live off campus w/members
4. Excel in classes
5. Get to know profs--coffee etc
6. Do a few college activities for non-C relationships.
7. Embrace weirdness: evangelize
8. Don't drink
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A good pastor, like a good parent or coach, usually only asks for one or two steps toward maturity at a time, even though fifty might be needed.
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The ability to disagree strenuously with someone and yet maintain an open and affectionate heart for the person is something we could probably all grow in.
It’s a lesson God teaches in part through family.
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Parents, don't turn your children into idols. Their shoulders can't bear the weight of being gods. You'll eventually crush them.
And don't turn your marriage into an idol. Your spouse can't support that weight either.
Only one can uphold the universe, and all your hopes, too.
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If you want to do culture-war preaching that your audience will love, criticize the other side.
If you want to do culture-war preaching that your audience needs, (gently) correct your own side.
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One more reason pastors should preach the gospel to church members every Sunday is because the idols in our hearts remain, and those idols spent all week rallying the flesh to make war against the Spirit and the new man.
So tell your people again: Jesus is Savior and Lord!
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Virtual church trains us to think of our faith in autonomous and pragmatic terms. It teaches us we can follow Jesus without teaching us what it means to be a part of his family and to inconvenience ourselves for this family.
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A not infrequent occurrence:
Read something frustrating on Twitter....
Type up a response...
Stare at it for 30 to 60 seconds...
Silently argue with myself...
Click the "X" delete button...
Close the computer and go get a snack as a reward for myself.
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It's amazing how much we'll forgive and charitably overlook in one another when our politics align.
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Changing the culture of your church, family, or any organization doesn't merely or even primarily come from weeding out the bad. It comes from growing the good. So pull weeds, yes, but spend more time planting seeds. Good will help to overwhelm the bad.
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"We have two extremes among evangelicals right now: those who can't wait to say when someone's wrong, and those who never want to say when people are wrong." @albertmohler
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Pastor Greg Gilbert once asked during an evening service, “Who would like to preach the evening devotional?” Dozens of eager male hands go up. Pregnant pause. Then “Which of you serve in the nursery or children’s ministry?” Hands drop. Well done, Greg (Story from @bobby_jamieson)
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